Door latch remote control mechanism



June 8, 1954 R. SCHONITZER DOOR LATCH REMOTE CONTROL MECHANISM 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 6, 1951 llll'l'll P000! P// I SOVON/TZEE ATTUF/VEYS.

June 8, 1954 R. I. SCHONITZER DOOR LATCH REMOTE CONTROL MECHANISM 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 6, 1951 INVENTOR. zPl/OOAP/IZ mam/v25? ill-E;

J1me 1954 R. SCHONITZER 2,680,641

DOOR LATCH REMOTE CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Jan. 6, 1951 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVEN TOR. Fl/OOZP/r J'OVO/V/TZf? MfM ATTOFA/[Ki June 1954 R. l. SCHONITZER 2,680,641

DOOR LATCH REMOTE CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Jan. 6, 1951 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. PUDOlPl/Z swam/72m J1me 1954 R. SCHONITZER 2,680,641

DOOR LATCH REMOTE CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Jan. 6, 1951 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Z7 f0 INVENTOR.

June-8, 1954 R. SCHONITZER 2,630,541

DOOR LATCH REMOTE CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Jan. 6, 1951 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 IN VEN TOR. PUDOZ PH Z 5 HO/V/ 7 Z 7? June 8, 1954 R. SCHONITZER 2,580,641

DOOR LATCH REMOTE CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Jan. 6, 1951 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR. P0001 PH z SKHO/V/TZER Patented June 8, 1954 DOOR LATCH REMOTE CONTROL MECHANISM Rudolph I. Schonitzer, Shaker Heights, Ohio Application January 6, 1951, Serial No. 204,791

11 Claims.

This invention relates to door control apparatus and more particularly to an improved remote control unit for actuating latching and locking mechanisms on automobile doors or the like.

The door control mechanisms of modern automobiles usually include a remote control unit whereby latching and/or locking mechanisms located adjacent the free edge of the door may be operated by a handle disposed in an accessible and convenient location on the inner face of the door remote from the free edge.

Three main types of remote control mechanisms are in common use. In the first type the remote control handle has a neutral or nonoperatingpositiommay be moved in one direction only therefrom to an operating position in which the latch is released, and is automatically returned to non-operating position by spring means. In the second type the handle is arranged to be moved in opposite directions from its non-operating position into either of two operating positions, movement in one direction eiiecting unlocking and/or unlatching of the door and movement in the other direction efiecting locking of the door. In this second type spring means are provided for automatically returning the handle to nonoperatin position when it is moved to unlatehing position and means are also provided whereby, when the handle is moved in the opposite direction to locking position, it will remain in locking position until manually returned to non-operating position. In the third type the handle is movable from its neutral or non-operating position in both directions, effecting unlocking and/or unlatching when moved in one direction and locking when moved in the opposite direction. In this third type spring means are provided for automatically returning the handle to neutral or nonoperating position after it is moved to either operating position.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a low cost, powerful remote control unit which may readily be arranged to perform the functions of any one of the three types of mechanisms described above by changing the shape of only a single part of the unit. Other objects of my invention include: the provision of an improved rcmote control mechanism of the type described in which the power of a rugged inexpensive spring member is most effectively applied and which has an extremely long and trouble-free life under service conditions; the provision of an inexpensive, easily assembled remote control mech anism which may be readily installed on automobile doors or the like; and the provision oi a remote control mechanism which, although compact in form, is powerful and positive in its return of the handle member to neutral or non-operating position from an operating position.

The above and other objects of my invention will appear from the following description of several embodiments thereof, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a portion of an automobile door, looking at the inner door panel, in which one embodiment of my improved remote .control mechanism is installed, parts of the structure being broken away for clearer illustration and the remote control unit being seen in its neutral or non-operating position.

Figure 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional 'view taken substantially on line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 3-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially on line d-t of Figure l and showing in some detail one type of latch mechanism with which my remote control apparatus may advantageously be used.

Figure 5 is a detached side elevational view of the mechanism shown in Figure 1, taken from the inside of the door, but showing the remote control device in its unlatching position.

Figure 6'is a view similar to Figure 5 but illustrating the apparatus in its locked position with the remote control handle and actuating lever held by the spring means against return to nonoperating position.

Figure 7 is a view generally similar to Figure 5 but illustrating a modified form of my remote control mechanism which is adapted to be moved in either direction from non-operating position and automatically returned to non-operating position by the spring means, together with a different type of lock mechanism from that shown in Figures 1-6.

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7, and illustrating the same mechanism, but with the remote control handle and actuating lever in latch direction only into an unlatching operating position, the lock member being shown in locked position.

Figure 11 illustrates the mechanism of Figure 10 with the remote control handle and actuating lever in their unlatching positions and the lock member in unlocked position.

Figure 12 is a view similar to Figure 10 and illustrating the same mechanism in non-operating position with the lock member in unlocked position.

Figure 13 illustrates another remote control mechani m of the general type shown in Figure 7 but with a modified spring support means.

Figure 14 illustrates the remote control mechanism of Figure 13 in one of its operating positions.

Figure 15 is a fragmentary view illustrating still another modified spring support arrangement.

Figure 16 illustrates a remote control mechanism of the general type shown in Figure '2 but with another modified spring support in which the ends of the spring are not restrietedagainst spreading movement.

Figure 17 illustrates the remote control mechanism of Figure 16 in one of its operating positions.

Figure 18 is a fragmentary horizontal crosssectional view taken on line iB-i8 of Figure 16.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 which illustrate a portion of what may be considered to be a right front automobile door, the inner door panel is seen at i with a portion of the usual decorative fabric cover indicated at 2. A latch mechanism, generally indicated at L, is mounted on the free edge wall 3 of the door with the latch member 4 supported for movement in a plane generally parallel to edge wall 3. The latch mechanism L will be referred to in more detail later but it may be pointed out here that, as illustrated, it is substantially like the latch mechanism described and claimed in the copending Edwin L. Allen U. S. patentapplication Serial No. 13l,65, filed December 7, 1949. A remote control bell crank member 5 is pivotally mounted on the side flange 6 of the frame of the latch mechanism. The lower end of bell crank 5 carries a headed pin 7 which co-operates with a slot 8 in the remote control strap or link 9 to form a readily assembled operating connection therebetween.

The remote control strap 9 is disposed in a shallow channel iii formed in the door inner panel i and its outer end is pivotally secured by a pin .2 to the upper end 25 of the actuating lever A of the remote control, which unit is generally indicated at C. As illustrated in Figures 1 to l.

in base plate l2 and have threaded engagement with nuts l4 secured to the recessed remote control mounting portion 15 of the inner door panel i. A shaft I8 has a hearing at its inner end portion in a flanged aperture ll in the base plate 12 and forms a pivotal support on the base for the actuating lever A which is mounted thereon as by a pressed fit on the hexagonal portion it of shaft Id. Another bearing for the shaft I6 is provided by a flanged bearing aperture ii) in the cover plate 29 which has side flanges 2i! and 28" and is rigidly secured to the base plate i2 as by bent tangs 21. The shaft i6 extends inwardly through the cover plate 2% and has a squared inner end portion 16 on which the remote control handle 22 is secured as by a pin 23 {see Figure 3).

From-the above description it will be seen that rotational movement of the handle 22 will cause corresponding rotation-of shaft is and actuating lever A. By virtue of the pivot pin 24 which connects the upper end portion 25 of actuating lever A and the remote control link 9, such rotation of handle 22 will effect longitudinal movement of the remote control link 9 in either direction from the neutral or non-operating position seen in Figure 1. Movement of lever A in clockwise direction into locking position (as will be later described) is limited by the engagement of an abutment 25 on upper end 25 of lever A with the top edge of side flange 23" of cover plate 28- (see Figure 6) and movement in the opposite (unlatching) direction would be limited by engagement of the opposite edge of end portion 25 with the side flange 26' of cover plate 253 if it were not first limited by the latch mechanism L.

The lower end or" actuating lever A, on the opposite side of its pivotal support it from the pin 24, has its edge face contoured to form a cam element 26 on said actuating lever. The neutral or non-operating portion 23 of this cam element 28, which as will appear later serves to locate the lever A and handle 22 in their neutral or nonoperating positions, is spaced a lesser radial distancefrom the axis of the pivotal support shaft i8 than are the respective operating cam portions and 26". In order normally to retain the handle 22, actuating lever A and remote control link a in the neutral or non-operating position seen in Figure 1 and to obtain the desired operation of the rethe latch member is in door latched position and 2 the remote control link 9 and remote control unit C are seen in their neutral or non-operating positions. If the link 8 is moved to the left from the position shown in Figure 1 the engagement of the end of the slot 3 with the pin 1 will swing the bell crank 5 of the latch mechanism in clockwise .direction and, as will be more fully explained later, will unlatch the latch mechanism L.

If, on the other hand, the link 9 is moved to the right from the neutral or non-operating posi-'- tion seen in Figure l the slot 8 will move freely over the pin '5 without causing operating movement of bell crank 5 and the inner locking end portion ll of link 9 will move to the right into locking position as seen in Figure 6.

The structure of the remote control unit C will now be described. The unit C includes a .frame structure having a base plate l2 adapted to be secured to the inner door panel I by suitable screws 13 which extend through slotted holes 13,

mote control unit, I provide a spring member S which be described as being of open V-shape with a central generally U-shaped hump portion .2? extended outwardly at the apex thereof, disposed in engagement with the cam element 26, and a pair of substantially identical arm portions 8 and 23 extending divergingly outwardly from the opposite ends 2? and 2'! respectively of hump portion 2?. The outer ends 28' and 29 of spring arms 28 and 23 are bent areuately upwardly as clearly seen in Figures 1 and 5 to provide arcuate abutment portions at the ends of arms 28 and 29.

To support the spring S properly in relation to the cam element 26 of actuating lever A support flanges 38 and Si are bent inwardly from base plate !2 and serve to prevent movement of the outer ends of spring arms 28 and 29 downwardly away from pivotal support 25 of the actuating lever A. In order to prevent outward spreading apart of the ends of spring arms 28 and 29 relative to each other, a second pair of flanges 32 and 33 are bent inwardly from the base plate l2 and are adapted to engage the bent ends 28' and 29 on spring arms 28 and 29.

. handle 22 in counterclockwise recessed or concave portion 26' of the cam 25.

As the lower end of cover plate overlies the central portion of spring S, and as the spring is so designed that it must be slightly flexed to install it in the non-operating position of Figure 1, the spring is firmly held in place in the remote control unit C and, by virtue of the preloading, will hold the handle 22 and actuating lever A in their non-operating positions of Figures 1, 2 and 3.

If it is desired to actuate the remote control unit to effect release of the latch L, the handle 22 is turned in counterclockwise direction from the position seen in Figure 1 into that seen in Figure 5. This imparts corresponding movement to the actuating lever A and pulls the remote control link 9 to the left, swinging the bell crank 5 in clockwise direction and causing the upper end thereof to engage and move the transverse arm portion 34 of the latch mechanism to eifect unlatching thereof as will be presently explained.

When the operator releases the handle 22 after moving it into the position of Figure 5 the pressure of the hump 21 of spring S upon the latch releasing operating portion 26" of cam element 26 will positively and automatically return the lever A, handle 22, and link 9 to their nonoperating positions of Figure 1.

To effect locking of the door the remote control handle 22 is turned in clockwise direction from the non-operating position shown in Figure 1 into the locked position seen in Figure 6. During this movement of the handle 22 the actuating lever A has corresponding movement and the spring S will be compressed by the locking portion 26 of cam element 26 until the point i of the portion rides over the crown of the bottom of the U-shaped hump 21 on spring S and reaches the position shown in Figure 6 where the spring S acts on cam portion 25" to urge the actuating lever A and link 9 in locking direction and holds the inner locking end H of link 9 in locking position below the transverse arm 34 of the latch mechanism. When in this locking position the end H of link 9 will prevent movement of arm 34 from the latched position seen in Figure 6 into the unlatched position seen in Figure 5. When the operator now releases the handle 22 it will remain in the locked position of Figure 6 and, in order to unlock the apparatus, the operator must manually turn the direction, causing the locking portion 26" of the cam 25 to again depress the spring S until it snaps over the hump 2'! whereupon spring S will be effective on the cam surface 26" to return actuating lever A, link 9, and handle 22 to their non-operating positions'of Figure 1.

To facilitate a complete understanding of the operation of my improved remote control mechanism as used with the illustrated latch mechanism, reference is now made to Figure 4 which shows the essential elements of the latch mechanism L. As previously pointed out, this mechanism is mounted on the free edge wall 3 of the door and includes a frame portion having a base and a side flange 6. Pivotally mounted on the base 35 is a bifurcated latch member 4 adapted to co-act with a latch pin on the adjacent body pillar to effect latching of the door in well-known manner. Latch member 4 is mounted on a shaft 31 pivotally supported by the base 35 which shaft his a latch cam 38 mounted on its inner end on the opposite side of base plate 35 from latch member 4. The spiral spring 39 tends to urge the latch cam 38 and latch member 4 in unlatch ing direction (counterclockwise as seen in Figure 4) and, in order to hold the latch member 4 in latched position (seen in Figure 4), a detent member D is provided having a downwardly extending arm portion 40 and a transverse arm portion 34. A pivotal support for detent D is provided on base 35 by a pin 4| and the abutment portion 42 on the arm 40 of detent D is adapted to engage the tooth 43 on latch cam 38 to hold the latch member 4 in full latched position or the tooth 44 to hold the latch member 4 in secondary latched position. A spring 43 has one end engaging the transverse arm 34 of the detent D and the other end anchored against the outer face of spring 39 and tends to urge detent D in counterclockwise direction (Figure 4) into latch holding engagement with the latch cam 38.

To release the latch 4 and permit unlatching of the door it is necessary to rotate the detent D in clockwise direction from the latch holding position of Figure 4 until the abutment 42 clears the face of tooth 43 on latch cam 38. This may be efiected by an outside push button or the like (not shown) operating against the upper end of flange 45 on detent D or by downward pressure of the upper end of bell crank lever 5 against the top of the outer end of transverse arm 34 of detent D as has been previously explained. Furthermore, as has been previously mentioned, the latch mechanism may be locked against unlatch ing from outside of the door by sliding the inner locking end portion l i of the remote control link 9 from its unlocked position of Figure 1 to the right, toward the free edge wall 3 of the door, into the locked position of Figure 6 in which it underlies the outer end of transverse arm 34 of detent D and effectively prevents movement of the detent D out of the latch holding position of Figure 4 into a latch released position.

As has been previously noted, the spring S is I generally V-shaped and includes a pair of diverging arm portions 28 and 29 between which is an intermediate, generally U-shaped hump portion 21 which extends outwardly from the apex of the V and has a curved base portion of convex outer surface which is engageable with the cam element 26. The hump portion 2? also has end portions 2? and 21". The spring S is most conveniently and economically made of flat or round wire of uniform cross-section and it is, of course, desirable that flexing of the spring wire in portions where it is bent on a relatively sharp radius be restricted as much as possible in order to prolong the life and prevent premature fatigue failure. With the spring illustrated and described herein, and with the means for supporting the spring shown in Figures 1 to 15, the curved base portion of the hump portion 2? is restricted against substantial flexing during operation of the mechanism by the inward force imposed on the open end portions 21' and 21" of the U- shaped hump 21 by the spring arm portions 28 and 29 respectively.

Figure 1 shows the spring S in its normal nonoperating position in which it is maintained under only relatively slight preloading. When the cam element 26 is moved into the operating position of-Figure 5 pressure is exerted by the cam face 26 against the outer convex surface of the base portion of the hump 21. This pressure, because the outer ends of arms 28 and 29 are restricted against movement away from the center of shaft i6 and because the arms 28 and 29 camber downwardly in a direction opposite to the curvature of Figure 1 into the more pronounced downwardly 'canibered condition of Figures 5 or 6. In order that spring arms 28 and 29 will always bow or camber in a direction (downwardly as seen in Figure 5) opposite to the curvature of the hump l and thus produce the desired resistance to hexing of hump portion 2?, the arcuate ends 28 and 29 are bent to extend on the same side (top) of arms 28 and 29 as the hump ill. With this arrangement the arms 22- and 23 invariably bow downwardly which results in less bending on the small radii of the spring S than would be the case if the arms bowed upwardly.

It should also be noted that the support for the outer ends of spring S on base :2 is such that the bent end portions 28' and 29 of arms 28 and 25 are not flexed to any substantial degree relative to said arm portions during downward bowing of the spring arms 28 and 29. The arcuate ends of the spring S, during movement from nonoperating position of Figure 1 into an operating position as seen in Figure 5 or Figure 6, have a somewhat rolling or oscill ti g action against the support flanges Bil-32 and 31-453. Thus the relatively sharp arcuatc bends in the spring member between the arms 28 and 2s and their ends 28' and 25) are not subjected to substantial flexing during operation and the possibility of failure at these bends is practically eliminated. Furthermore the arcuate end portions 28'ano. 2d are positively restrained aga nst movement away from the pivotal shaft iii.

it has the desirable characteristics of simplicity and economical manufacture, possesses life and power characteristics not previously obtainable, so far as I am aware, in any remote control mechanism of comparable size and cost. In my apparatus high spring efficiency is obtained by ellectively preventing any substantial flexing of the spring member on short radii, by distributing the operational flexing over relatively long lengths of the spring arms, and by forming the spring member in an open ended. ii-shape whereby a toggle action is obtained which greatly increases the effective power of the spring for any given crosssectional area of the spring element.

The toggle action just referred to will be evident from observation of Figure 1 and Figure 5. An attempt to depress the hump portion 2? of spring 5 from the position of Figure 1 into that of Figure 5 results in a force tending to spread apart the ends of the arms 23 and 29, which may be considered to be toggle arms. However, as the ends of these arms are prevented from spreading apart by their support on the base 42, the arms 28 and 29 must flex sufiiciently to permit the necessary displacement of the hump 27. A considerable portion of the force imposed by cam element 25 is applied in a generally lengthwise direction relative to'the arms 28 and 23 and thus the effective power of the spring element is'increased over that which would obtain if a similar length of similar spring wire were subjected to pure cantilever bending.

In the remote control mechanism illustrated in Figures 1 to 6 the locking portion H of the strap 5 is held in locked position (Figure 6) by the action of .the spring S on .the cam element 26. Figures '5', 8 and 9 illustrate another type of remote control and latch mechanism in which the lock member M of the latch mechanism is provided with a snap-over spring to which will hold the lock member either in the locked position of Figure 7 or the unlocked position of Figure 8. The lock member M is adapted to be moved by the remote control mechanism sufliciently far in unlocking direction to permit the snap-over spring 46 to pass dead center in wellknown manner after which spring .5 is effective to hold the lock member M in unlocked position. Thus after the remote control unit has imparted the necessary unlocking movement to member M the remote control handle 22 may be returned to cits neutral or non-operating position. Accordtially identical latch releasing and latch locking portions 4'?" and 41" respectively.

As seen in Figure '7 the parts of the remote control unit, except for actuating lever A, are substantially identical with those previously described and are identified by similar reference characters. The inner end of strap 9 is connected to operating lever 59 by a pin and slot arrangement 48 andfit, the pin :38 being carried on the operating lever 50 which is pivotally supported on the side flange 5! of the latch frame structure. The lock member M is also pivotally mounted on side flange 5! at 52 and has its upper end formed with an abutment portion 53 which, when the lock member M is in locked position (see Figure 7), extends across the slot 54 in side flange 5i and prevents downward movement of the end portion 34 of the detent D. The latch structure of Figures 7, 8 and 9 is modified from that shown in Figures 1 to 6 in its locking means but otherwise may be substantially like that shown in Figure 4.. When the abutment 53 extends across slot 54 the door is elfectively locked because the end 3 3 of detent D cannot be moved downwardly from the latched position of Figure 7 into the unlatched position of Figure 8.

When the parts are in the positions shown in Figure 'I and it is desired to unlock the door from inside the'vehicle by the remote control unit the handle 22 is swung in counterclockwise direction into the position of Figure 8 with accompanying movement of actuating lever A and travel of the remote control strap 9 to. the left. Movement of strap 9 to the left from its neutral nonoperating position results in clockwise rotation of operating lever 59, the upper end 55 of which will engage the upper end 56 of lock member M, camming it away from locked position until snapover spring it takes over and moves it into its final unlocked position of Figure 8. Further counterclockwise rotation of handle 22 into the position of Figure 3 will cause the upper end of operating lever 53 to engage end as of detent D moving it downwardly into the unlatched posi tion seen in Figure 8 and thus permitting opening of the door.

From the above it will be observed that when the lock member M has been locked, either by 9 an outside key means operating through the lock arm 51 and the lower end of lock member M or by operation of the inside remote control in the manner to be explained later, rotation of the remote control handle 22 in one direction will result in first moving the lock member intounlocked position and then unlatching the latch mechanism to permit opening of the door.

When the locking member M is in unlocked position as seen in Figure 8 and the remote control mechanism is in its non-operating position of Figure '7, rotation of the handle 22 in clockwise direction into the position seen in Figure 9 will move the strap 9 to the ri ht causing the left end of slot 49 to engage pin 48 on operating lever 59 and rotate same in counterclockwise direction. The flange 58 on the lower end of operating lever 50 will engage the edge of lock member M below its pivotal center 52 and move same in counterclockwise direction from the unlocked position of Figure 8 into the locked position of Figure 7. It will be understood that when the handle 22 is moved either into the latch releasing position of Figure 8 or the locking position of Figure 9 it will immediately be returned to the neutral or non-operating position of Figure '7, upon release of the handle 22 by the operator, by the action of the spring S. Thus with this embodiment of my invention the operating handle always remains in neutral or non-operating position except when it is being utilized to lock, unlock, unlock and unlatch, or unlatch the door. It may be pointed out that, if the lock member M is in locked position as seen in Figure 7 and it is desired merely to unlock but not unlatch the mechanism from inside the vehicle by means of the remote control, the handle 22 may be moved only part way from its non-operating position of Figure 7 toward its latch released position of Figure 8, the movement being stopped by the operator upon engagement of the upper end of operating lever 50 with the end portion 34 of the detent D.

In Figures 10, 11 and 12 I have illustrated another embodiment of my improved remote con- I trol apparatus which is adapted only to effect unlatching, or unlocking and unlatching, of the latch mechanism but is not adapted to effect looking thereof. In the apparatus of Figures 10, 11 and 12 all of the parts of the remote control unit are substantially the same as those previously described except that the actuating lever A" has a special cam element portion 59 and an abutment or stop portion 6% which, as is clearly seen in Figure 10, engages the top edge of side flange 20" of cover plate 2i? when the remote control is in non-operating position and prevents movement of the handle 22 and actuating lever A" in clockwise direction from their non-operating positions.

As the lever A in this form of my invention is movable only in one direction from neutral position the cam element 59 comprises only the usual non-operating portion 59' and a latch releasing portion 59''. The hump portion 2'! of spring S engages the cam element 59 a slight distance up on the latch releasing portion 59" of cam element 59 and thus spring S, when handle 22 is in the neutral position of Figure 10, tends to hold the actuating lever A and handle 22 securely in non-operating position with the abutment 60 engaging the cover plate 20. This arrangement effectively avoids any undesirable slack or lost motion. 3

Again, in Figures 10, 11 and 12 the latch mechanism shown has a slightly difierent' locking ,7

10 means than those previously described. Essentially, the latch mechanism is of the same general type and includes an end portion 34 of a detent member (not shown). The end 34 of the detent operates in a slot 5| in the side flange 62 of the latch frame and the lock member M is pivotally supported on the side flange 62 at 63. An operating lever 64 is pivotally mounted on side flange 52 at and is operatively connected to the remote control strap 9 by the pin 36 and slot 61. If the apparatus of Figures 10,11 and 12 is in unlocked and latched position, as seen in Figure 12, and it is desired to unlatch the door, the handle 22 is rotated in counterclockwise direction causing counterclockwise movement of the operating lever 64. During this movement the lower end 88 of lever 64 will engage end 34 of the latch detent lifting it into unlatched position (see Figure 11). This upward movement of the detent of the latch mechanism to effect unlatching is just the opposite from that previously described and is illustrated herein to show the adaptability of my remote control unit to different types of latch structures. When the handle 22 reaches its unlatching position of Figure 11 the detent arm 34 has been raised sunficiently to release the latch and permit opening of the door.

With such a detent arrangement the lock member M may be provided with a projection 69 which, if the lock member M is in locked position as seen in Figure 10, will first be engaged by the end 68 of operating lever M to cam the lock member M from locked position of Figure 10 into unlocked position of Figure 11 where it is "held by the snap-over spring iii. Further movement of handle 22 will cause the end 68 to engage the detent arm 34 and raise it into latch released position (Figure 11).

In order to lock the type of latch mechanism "shown in Figures 10, 11 and 12 from inside the vehicle a rod ll is attached to the lower end of lock member M and extends up through the garnish molding in well-known manner (not shown) where it is preferably provided with a knob which may be manually operated to swing the locking member M into and out of locked position. An outside key mechanism may also be provided and connected to rotate the arm 12 to effect locking and unlocking movement of the lock member M from outside the door. The contour of the cam face 59" on actuating lever A" is similar to the latch releasing portion of the other cam elements illustrated herein so that, upon release of handle 22 after it has been moved 'from the non-operating position of Figures 10 and 12 into the operating position of Figure 11, it will automatically be returned to non-operating position by the action of the spring S. It will be observed that merely by changing the form of the actuating lever A" my remote control unit may be readily modified'for use with latch mechanisms in which the inside look control is effected by means of a garnish molding knob or the like.

In Figure 13 a remote control unit is illustrated which is generally similar to that of Figure 7 but in which the spring S is supported on the base plate I! by end loop portions i3 and M at the outer ends of the spring arms '!5 and it. These loops l3 and 14 are hooked over inturned flanges l8 and 19 on base plate Ti and are formed on a radius large enough to avoid sharp bending of short sections of the spring at the outer end of the diverging arm portions.

adjacent said end portions thereof with said convex outer face of said hump portion engaging said cam portion of said operating lever, said cam portion being contoured to exert pressure, when moved from non-operating toward an operating position, on said convex outer face of said hump portion of said spring tending to spread apart said ends of said spring arm portions, and blocking means on said base plate for engaging said end portions of said spring arms and preventing lateral spreading apart movement thereof when pressure is exerted on said hump by said cam portion of said operating lever while permitting oscillating movement thereof.

5. In a remote control mechanism for automobile door latches or the like, a frame structure including a base plate, an operating lever pivotally mounted on said base plate for movement between a non-operating position and one or more operating positions, a cam portion on said operating lever, manually operable means for moving said operating lever between said non-operating and operating positions, a generally V-shaped spring member having diverging arms and an intermediate outwardly projecting cam engaging hump therebetween, said hump having a convex outer cam engaging face and said arm portions having arcuate end portions bent to extend from said arm portions in the same direction as said hump, means on said base plate for supporting said spring arm portions adjacent said ends thereof with said convex outer face of said hump portion engaging said cam portion of said operating lever, said cam portion being contoured to exert pressure, when moved from non-operating toward an operating position, on said convex outer face of said hump portion of said spring tending to spread apart said ends of said spring arm portions, and flanges projecting outward from said base plate and disposed in engagement with the outer su faces of said arcuate bent end portions of said spring andadapted to block same against spreading apart while permitting oscillating movement thereof.

6. In a remote control mechanism for automobile doors or the like, a base plate member, an actuating lever adapted to have movement between a non-operating position and one or more operating positions, a pivotal support for said actuating lever on said base plate, a cam element on said lever having a non-operating portion and an operating portion, a spring member having a central outwardly projecting hump portion of generally U-shaped form disposed with the outer surface of the base portion of said hump engaging said cam element and a pair of substantially identical arm portions extending divergingly outwardly from and in the same general direction as the open ends of said U-shaped hump portion and symmetrically disposed relative thereto, support members on said base for supporting the outer ends of said arm portions against substantial movement away from said pivotal support of said actuating lever while permitting free oscillating movement thereof relative to said support members and base plate, the non-operating portion of said cam element being spaced a lesser radial distance from said pivotal support than said operating portion whereby said cam element will exert increasing pressure against the outer surface of the base portion of said U-shaped hump portion of said spring when said actuating lever is moved about its pivotal support from said non-operating position toward an operating position, said arm portions of said spring and said 14 support members for the ends thereof forming a toggle with its ends restrained against spreading apart and resisting flexing of said U-shaped hump portion when pressure is exerted on said hump portion by said cam element.

7. In a remote control mechanism for automobile doors or the like, a base plate member, an actuating lever having a cam portion, pivotal support means on said base plate member for said actuating lever, a generally V-shaped spring member extended outwardly at the apex into a central convex hump portion, said convex hump portion having a curved base portion disposed in engagement with said cam portion of said actuating lever, said spring member having two substantially identical arm portions extending divergingly outwardly from the ends of said hump portion, said arm portions having abutment portions at their outer ends, said abutment portions extending in the same general direction as said hump portion and having arcuate form, flange means on said base member for engaging the outer surfaces only of said abutment portions of said spring arm member to support said spring member .on said base plate member, said flange means including blocking portions disposed to engage said abutment portions of said spring and block same against spreading-apart movement thereof while permitting oscillating movement of said abutment portions about substantially fixed centers and Without substantial flexation thereof, and said cam portion being contoured to exert increasing pressure on said hump portion in a direction away from said pivotal support when said actuating lever is moved about said pivotal support from a non-operating position toward an operating position.

8. In a remote control mechanism for automobile doors or the like, a base plate member, an actuating lever having a cam portion, a pivotal support on said base plate member for said actuating lever, a generally V-shaped spring member extended outwardly at the apex into a central convex hump portion, said convex hump portion having a curved base portion disposed in engagement with said cam portion of said actuating lever, said spring member including arms extending outwardly from the ends of said hump portion, said arms having arcuate abutment portions at their outer ends, and spaced mounting means on said base plate member for said arcuate abutment portions of said spring member, each of said mounting means including a blocking portion engaging the adjacent arcuate abutment r portion of said spring on a radius thereof which on said hump portion when said actuating lever is moved about said pivotal support from a nonoperating position toward an operating position.

9. In a remote control mechanism for automobile doors or the like, a base plate member, an actuating lever having a cam portion, a pivotal support on said base plate member for said actuating lever, a generally V-shaped spring member extended outwardly at the apex into a central convex hump portion, said convex hump portion having a curved base portion disposed in engagement with said cam portion of said actuating lever, said spring member including arms diverging outwardly from the ends of said hump portion, and mountingmeans on said base plate for supporting outer end portions of said spring arms against movement away from said pivotal support when said spring member is loaded by said cam portion, said outer end portions of said arms being free to oscillate relative to said mounting means, said cam portion being contoured to exert pressure on said hump portion when said actuating lever is moved about said pivotal support from a non-operating position toward an operating position.

10. In a remote control mechanism, for automobile doors or the like, a base plate member, an actuating lever having a cam portion, a pivotal support on said base plate member for said actuating lever, a generally V-shaped spring member extending outwardly at the apex into a central convex hump portion, said convex hump portion having a curved base portion disposed in engagement with said cam portion of said actuating lever, said spring member including arms diverging outwardly from the ends of said hump portion, said arms each having loop portions at their outer ends and said base plate having flanges disposed within and engaging the inner surfaces of said loop portions and supporting said spring member on said base plate.

11. In a remote control mechanism for automobile doors or the like, a base plate member,

an actuating lever having a cam portion, a pivotal supporton said base plate member for saidactuating lever, a generally V-shaped spring member extending outwardly at the apex into a central convex hump portion, said convex hump portion having a curved base portion disposed in engagement with said cam portion of said actuating lever, said spring member including arms diverging outwardly from the ends of said hump portion, said arms having outer end portions extending in thesame general direction as said hump portion, said base plate having a pair of spaced flanges engaging and supporting said spring member at the outer ends of said arm portions on the side therefor opposite said hump portion and a second pair of spaced flanges disposed between said outer end portions and said spring arms whereby pressure by said cam portion onsaid hump portion will eiiect spreading apart of said outer ends of said arms.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 207,089 Wolf et a1 Aug. 13, 1878 1,745,033 Smith Jan. 28, 1930 2,010,702 Rightmyer Aug. 6, 1935 

